About the early childhood education program

The early childhood education (ECE) program leads to a master’s degree in early childhood education and/or Colorado teacher license in early childhood special education (ECSE) specialist.The program prepares leaders who will enrich the life experience of young children (birth to 8 years) and their families through a variety of professional roles.

The ECE program is interdisciplinary in focus, drawing on university resources and the clinical expertise of various community professionals. There is a strong emphasis on fieldwork and practicum experiences in both regular and special education concentrations. Field experiences are a part of each course and provide an opportunity for each student to gain knowledge, abilities and dispositions while interacting with children, families, program staff and community agencies. Practicum experiences are designed to allow students to apply knowledge and practice skills in a closely supervised environment.

Early childhood education and the early childhood special education focus share course content in:

language development and disorders

child growth and development, differences and disorders

learning approaches with young children

measurement and evaluation

basic statistics/research methods

multicultural education

research and current issues

early childhood curriculum and program development for inclusive classrooms

working collaboratively with parents and families

program administration/leadership

The early childhood education program provides specialized training in:

language acquisition and development

literacy instruction

infant/toddler development

early childhood mental health and social competence

The early childhood special education program provides specialized training in:

screening and assessment of young children

intervention strategies with infants and preschoolers

behavior management

working as a member of the transdisciplinary team

cognitive and socio-emotional development and disorders

treatment of children who have neurological impairment and chronic illness

challenging behaviors and autism

For more information on coursework and plans of study, please contact an advisor in the School of Education and Human Development.

Fieldwork and Practicum Requirements

The master’s degree in early childhood education includes a total of 425 hours of required fieldwork/practica. Approximately 200 hours of fieldwork are associated with course assignments; 225 hours of intense, culminating practica occur toward the end of the second year of study. Students completing the MA program take a written comprehensive exam (take home) during the final semester of their program (concurrently with courses at the end of the program sequence).

For the master’s degree in early childhood education plus the ECSE specialist initial license, a total of 800 hours of fieldwork/practica is required. Approximately 290 hours of fieldwork are associated with course assignments; 510 hours of intense, culminating practica occur toward the end of the second year of study. Students seeking an added endorsement in ECSE specialist also complete 510 hours of practicum experiences.